I'd like to challenge DhammaWheel members to get their local public library to add Bhante Bodhi's book In the Buddha's Words (ItBW) to their collection.

Background: I've noticed that many public libraries are lacking in translations of the suttas. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as donating a copy; many libraries don't take donations. And many libraries won't buy books that are more than a year or two old. So getting them to add any of the sutta translations can take some effort.

I'm going to work on getting a copy in our local library and will post updates on my progress. I will also add to this first post any tips or strategies people come up with. This thread can be a place for everyone to share there efforts to meet the challenge.

Of course any one is free to ask their library to add any Dhamma book, but I thought it would be fun for us to focus on a single book at first.

So...
Are you a librarian and can offer tips?
Have you ever gotten your local library to add a book of suttas?
Does your local library already have a copy of ItBW?

And most importantly... Will you take up the challenge to get In the Buddha's Words in your local library?

------------------------------Tips and Suggestions
* Usually to request a book, you need to have a library card.
* Check to see if the library has any Sutta translations. If not, that can strengthen your case.
* libraries may have a policy of buying electronic versions of books if they are older. You can explain that because of numerous cross references this is not ideal for ItBW.

Here are some relevant facts about ItBW that may be helpful to share:

It is a commercially published book
It is still in print, even though it came out in 2005
It is very inexpensive (find your local retail price)
It has excellent reviews on Amazon.com (4.7 out of five)
The publisher requested that the author create the anthology for use in University classrooms.
The author is one of the preeminent translators of Buddhist texts.

Also, perhaps his Great Disciples of the Buddha & his upcoming The Buddha's Teaching on Social and Communal Harmony. It makes for a nice public library trilogy, I expect.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

An excellent idea, Bhante!
I recommend everyone to take part in the challenge.
kind regards,
Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

And an addendum to report I have submitted the recommendation of ITBW to our library service.

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Ben wrote:And an addendum to report I have submitted the recommendation of ITBW to our library service.

Sadhu!
I'm guessing you did an online submission. Did they indicate any policies about book selection? Did they say if they would notify you if the request was rejected?

Yes, Bhante. They said that they would respond within ten days. I didn't look at their collection development policy but I am thinking that it would be fairly inclusive. Tasmania has the one library with branches in the major population centres. I expect the only limit would be priorities determined by budget. I did a search of their online catalogue and the text was not there nor any texts by Bhikkhu Bodhi or for that matter - very many texts on Buddhism.
kind regards,
Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

It was already begun! The university library has received a slew of such things, but of course now it's time to move on to more public realms.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

daverupa wrote:It was already begun! The university library has received a slew of such things, but of course now it's time to move on to more public realms.

Do you mind telling us what library you are working on so I can add you to the list?

This is the University of Utah Library; now there's the Salt Lake City & County Public Library Systems to get to work on.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

I donated a handful of Buddhist books my local library a year (?) ago. In the Buddha's Words was among them. I asked the front desk for the name and email of the curator for the adult non-fiction section. I then emailed her and discussed which books she would take and which she wouldn't. She accepted all I wanted to give, and so they're now part of the collection.

It's a great idea to add more dhamma books to the world's libraries. When I was a teen there were no Buddhist books available to me in the libraries.